


Duty Beyond Knighthood

by evaelisaa



Series: Knight Merlin [3]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blow Jobs, Canon Era, First Time, First Time Blow Jobs, Fluff and Smut, Hand Jobs, Knight Merlin (Merlin), M/M, POV Merlin (Merlin), Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-17 11:02:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29591829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evaelisaa/pseuds/evaelisaa
Summary: It’s the first evening where Merlin is a knight, but because of a deal he made with Arthur, Merlin is still the one who has to help the king get ready for bed.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Knight Merlin [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2120886
Comments: 14
Kudos: 156
Collections: Merlin Bingo





	Duty Beyond Knighthood

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to:  
> \- Leandra, for helping me get started on writing this.  
> \- SwanFloatieKnight, for reading this through to see if it’s any good.  
> \- J (Fighting_for_Creativity), for coming up with the title.  
> \- Elirwen, for helping me out with the tags.
> 
> Written for Merlin Bingo prompt “Good advice”.

It’s the first evening where Merlin is no longer a manservant. He is a knight now. A knight…

Merlin wonders if he’ll ever get used to the fact that he is a knight now. It sounds so strange.

_Sir_ Merlin.

It sounds wrong. He hopes not a lot of people will actually call him that. He likes Merlin. Just Merlin. He’s always been Merlin. He doesn’t feel any different now. Well, maybe a little different. He’s excited, a bit giddy even. He’s a knight now, which means in a few months Arthur will officially ask him to court him, because that’s the reason Arthur wanted to knight Merlin. Arthur wanted it to be socially acceptable to court Merlin – he said Merlin deserved to be a knight anyway, but let’s be honest, the main reason Arthur offered Merlin knighthood was so he could court Merlin, and well, that might also have been the main reason Merlin accepted.

But being a knight doesn’t mean all his manservant chores are over now – even though he has himself to thank for that.

When Arthur told Merlin he wanted him to be a knight, Merlin agreed on one condition: he would be the only one who got to see Arthur naked. So that’s the reason Merlin is now on his way to Arthur’s chambers. He’s about to help the prat change into his sleep clothes, because of course Arthur apparently still doesn’t know how to dress himself.

Does that annoy Merlin? Maybe. But on the other hand, it also means he gets to see Arthur half naked at least twice a day and he does not mind that, _at all_.

Merlin enters Arthur’s chambers without knocking – he didn’t knock as a manservant, so why start now? – and finds Arthur sitting at his writing desk, alone.

George, who was terribly pleased to become the king’s manservant again, must’ve left already.

“Ah, there you are,” Arthur smiles as he looks up to see Merlin standing underneath the arch separating the sleeping chambers from the main part of the room. “ _Sir_ Merlin,” he continues, the grin on his face only becoming wider.

Merlin rolls his eyes. Of course Arthur would start teasing him about being a knight now.

“I’m here to get you ready for bed, _my lord_ ,” Merlin teases him right back, using his title in a way he knows will make Arthur shake his head while sighing, because it sounds more like an insult than anything else.

It’s the first time they’re alone together after Arthur gave Merlin his personalised cloak right before his knighting ceremony – with a silver merlin on the inside, right at the other side of the golden dragon on the outside – and, despite their usual banter, it somehow feels strange.

Merlin is here, in Arthur’s chambers, but not as his manservant. He’s not supposed to turn down the bed, or fluff the pillows, or pick up scattered clothing anymore. He’s here as a knight, as the man Arthur wants to court, as the only man who gets to see Arthur naked.

Merlin clears his throat and looks away from Arthur, who is now approaching him. The thought of seeing Arthur naked suddenly makes him feel uneasy. It’s not just seeing the king naked anymore, it’s seeing the man he loves naked, the man who loves him back, the man who will publicly court him in just a few months.

Merlin risks a glance at Arthur. His red tunic flows around his body as he takes the last couple of steps towards Merlin, the neckline deep enough to show a smattering of chest hair.

“Then get me ready for bed,” Arthur says as he stands right in front of Merlin, his voice low and rough.

Merlin clears his throat again while trying to ignore the blush he feels insistently crawling up his neck towards his cheeks and ears.

So, he just does the thing he knows how to do. He grabs the hem of Arthur's tunic and pulls it upwards over his head. He feels Arthur’s eyes on him, but he doesn't dare look, not knowing what he'll see there or how he'll react to it. He might kiss Arthur the moment he looks him in the eye. And while they kissed before, they have always been fully clothed.

Merlin doesn’t know if Arthur will be okay with kissing like this, half naked, and here, in his chambers, where they’re alone, and near a bed, and at a time where it’s late enough in the evening that no one will bother the king anymore.

Merlin takes a deep breath to will his hardening cock to go down again. He’s here to get the king ready for bed, he’s not here to get _into_ his bed.

But the moment the tunic is off, Arthur doesn't drop his arms to his sides as he usually does, and he doesn’t head to the changing screen to take off his breeches behind it, hidden from view. Instead, he grabs Merlin's face with both hands, tilting Merlin’s head so he can easily place a soft kiss on Merlin's lips.

Merlin cannot avoid the look in Arthur's eyes anymore. Arthur is making sure Merlin looks at him and Merlin can see the heath there, the want. He sees what he feels himself and instead of going down, his dick only gets harder.

Merlin drops the shirt to the ground and moves his hands to Arthur’s sides, keeping his eyes on Arthur’s, looking for any sign to stop, for any sign that he’s misinterpreted the look in Arthur’s gaze.

His hands touch Arthur’s sides and Arthur doesn’t pull away, so Merlin slowly slides his hands upwards.

He’s seen Arthur in this state of undress often enough, but he has never touched Arthur’s naked skin, never let his hands slide over soft skin and strong muscles.

Arthur’s chest rises and falls underneath Merlin’s hands, his breathing quickens slightly the longer Merlin moves his hands up and down Arthur’s sides.

Arthur leans back in for another kiss, his hands still cupping Merlin’s face, though that’s the only thing that isn’t different about this kiss. It’s not a soft kiss this time. Arthur’s lips move determinedly against Merlin’s and as soon as Merlin parts his lips, Arthur’s tongue is there, licking into his mouth and Merlin can’t help the groan escaping his throat.

Arthur smiles against his mouth before lightly biting Merlin’s bottom lip, soothing it with another lick of his tongue.

His hands move down from Merlin’s face towards the knot of his neckerchief. He finds the knot while tracing Merlin's jawline with more kisses.

Arthur’s fingers fumble with the knot. “How do you tie this thing?” he grumbles under his breath, stopping the path of kisses to look at the knot instead.

Impatiently, Merlin swats Arthur’s hands away to untie the knot himself, eager for having Arthur kissing him again. It doesn’t even matter where he chooses to kiss. He just wants Arthur’s mouth back against his skin.

The moment Merlin takes the neckerchief off, Arthur’s lips are on his neck, tracing open-mouthed kisses downwards before sucking a bruise near his clavicle. Merlin releases a shuddering breath, the neckerchief slipping out of his hand onto the floor as he grabs Arthur’s sides again.

Arthur reaches for Merlin’s belt – he does not have trouble getting that off, even while continuing the path of kisses down his throat. He tosses it away before grabbing the hem of Merlin’s tunic and eagerly lifts it up. Merlin raises his arms to help Arthur take it off and the moment it’s over his head, he surges forward again to catch Arthur’s mouth in another lust-filled kiss.

Merlin presses himself against Arthur, wanting to feel the warmth of his skin against his own.

Arthur’s hands find their way to the back of Merlin’s neck, holding him close, while Merlin wiggles his hands between them to find the laces of Arthur’s breeches.

He wants more of Arthur. The feeling is sudden, overwhelming. He isn’t thinking anymore. He just wants and he can have it now. And judging by the way Arthur kisses him back, how he moves his hands over Merlin’s back downwards, how he holds him close, how his cock stiffly presses against Merlin’s, he’s of the same mindset.

Merlin’s hands finally find the laces of Arthur’s breeches, but before he can try to undo them, before he can get rid of another layer of clothing between them, before he can get his hands on Arthur, there’s a knock on the door.

Instinctively they both step away from each other, still panting. Merlin immediately misses the sensation of Arthur’s hot and naked skin against his own.

The person who knocked doesn’t wait for an answer. The door opens and Merlin’s heart starts beating frantically in his chest – he didn’t realise his heartbeat could go even faster than it was going already, but apparently it can.

There is no time to hide, there is no time to cover up. The person entering Arthur’s chambers will definitely realise what they were doing and their secret will be revealed.

Merlin looks at the door, dread flooding his chest.

When it’s Gaius entering the chambers, he doesn’t know whether he should be relieved or embarrassed.

Gaius is the only one who knows about them – he was there when they first kissed. Arthur wasn’t exactly subtle about it and Merlin didn’t really care at that point.

“Sire,” Gaius says, carefully closing the door behind him again. “I have the books you requested.”

It’s only when Gaius puts the books on the table that he looks up to see Arthur and Merlin standing half naked underneath the arch between the table and the bed. Several of their clothing items lie scattered around them and Merlin doesn’t need a mirror to know his skin is flushed – both from arousal as from embarrassment at this point. Of course Arthur looks perfect as always. It’s not that uncommon for him to walk around his chambers bare chested, but combined with Merlin standing there in the same state of undress – it doesn’t even matter that their breeches are loose enough to hide their hardons – it’s very obvious what they were doing.

“Oh.” Gaius freezes as he stares at them. It takes him a few moments to compose himself. “I’ll leave you to it,” he says, making Merlin even more embarrassed.

Gaius turns around and puts his hand on the door handle. Before he opens the door, he says over his shoulder, “Word of advice, boys: lock the door, otherwise your relationship might not stay secret for long.”

“Yes, Gaius,” Arthur answers, his voice sounding as kingly as ever, no sign of embarrassment at all. “Thank you for the books.”

“My lord,” Gaius nods before disappearing through the door again.

Arthur hurries towards the door and locks it, before turning around and letting out an embarrassed laugh. His back is against the door, as if to make sure it actually stays closed.

It’s only now that Merlin sees Arthur’s flushed cheeks. He lets his gaze follow the flush downwards, down Arthur’s neck, towards his chest, over his stomach, to the bulge in his breeches that is apparently not as inconspicuous as Merlin thought.

All embarrassment suddenly leaves Merlin, as do all his doubts. Arthur looks as embarrassed as Merlin felt, but Arthur’s cock is clearly hard and that’s because of him, Athur is aroused because of him, Arthur wants him.

Merlin rushes forward, closing the distance between them. He crashes into Arthur, making the door rattle behind him. A surprised gasp escaping from Arthur’s throat is muffled by Merlin firmly pressing his lips to Arthur’s. Merlin licks at Arthur’s lips, while running his hands down Arthur’s flanks downwards to his breeches. Merlin fumbles with the laces again. He can’t find the ends. He doesn’t want to stop kissing Arthur, but he also really wants to get those breeches off of him.

After another few moments of frantic fumbling, Merlin’s desire to get Arthur’s breeches off wins, so he breaks the kiss to look down at his hands instead. He rests his forehead against Arthur’s shoulder, the need to touch Arthur in any way possible stronger than he ever expected it to be.

Seeing what he’s doing is only helping a little. Arthur’s panting breath next to his ear, his skin hot against Merlin’s forehead, his hands roaming Merlin’s sides, his arms, his neck, seemingly every bit of naked skin Arthur can touch, _all of it_ is distracting enough that Merlin still fumbles quite some time with the laces.

“Oh, come on!” Merlin grumbles while forcefully pulling the end of one of the laces.

Arthur lets out a breathy chuckle, so Merlin bites the junction of shoulder and neck in retaliation, immediately soothing it with licking kisses, causing Arthur’s chuckle to change into a moan and Merlin can’t suppress the victorious grin spreading on his face.

A few more tugs on the laces and finally, _finally_ , the breeches are loose enough to tug them down, along with Arthur’s smallclothes, freeing his cock.

Merlin doesn’t waste any time and wraps his fingers around Arthur’s cock while claiming his mouth again, placing sloppy kisses on Arthur’s lips, distracted by the feel of the hot, soft skin against the palm of his hand, combined with the hardness of Arthur’s cock and the knowledge that he is touching Arthur there, he is the cause of Arthur’s moans.

He grips Arthur’s cock tightly and moves his hand up and down, occasionally letting his thumb stroke over the tip before twisting his wrist a little, doing everything he likes doing to himself, finding out what Arthur likes. And by the sound of it, it doesn’t really matter what Merlin does. Arthur moans into Merlin’s mouth with every flick of his wrist, every stroke of his thumb.

Merlin moves his kisses to Arthur’s jawline and down to his neck the moment Arthur seems unable to concentrate on kissing anymore.

Merlin briefly presses his free hand against his own cock, throbbing in his breeches, getting more uncomfortable in there the more Arthur moans next to his ear. Though it doesn’t take away from the headiness of the fact that he is the one getting those sounds out of Arthur, that he is the one making Arthur feel like this.

At this point, he doesn’t even care anymore if someone hears them. He wants to hear more of Arthur, he wants to be the cause of even more pleasure.

Merlin moves his free hand to Arthur’s side to slide it up until he brushes one of Arthur’s nipples.

“Merlin,” Arthur groans, his fingers digging hard in Merlin’s arms and Merlin takes it as a sign to speed up the movement of his hand.

Arthur comes with a loud gasp, digging his fingers even harder in Merlin’s arms, bucking his hips forwards, his come spurting on both their chests and all over Merlin’s hand.

Merlin strokes Arthur through his orgasm, still placing open-mouthed kisses on his neck.

When Arthur’s breathing regulates to a normal rhythm again, Merlin intends to kiss him some more, let his hands roam that perfectly muscled body, discover every inch of it. But before he can move his mouth away from Arthur’s neck, Arthur turns him around and pushes him against the door instead, the smack causing Merlin to huff out a startled breath.

Merlin hasn’t even recovered from the sudden movement before Arthur is kissing him fervently again, his tongue licking into Merlin’s mouth. The wet slide of Arthur’s lips against his are only making Merlin feel more and more heady with arousal.

When Arthur’s mouth leaves his lips, Merlin almost grabs his face to guide him back, to kiss him more, though he forgets about it the moment Arthur starts tracing a path down his neck, sucking at the same spot he bruised earlier, making a moan leave Merlin’s throat.

Before long Arthur continues his path downwards, placing open mouthed-kisses down his chest, briefly licking and sucking at his nipples, causing Merlin to make sounds he should probably be embarrassed about, but he doesn’t care, because it feels too good and he just wants more. Arthur’s hands slide down his sides, stopping at his hips before he continues his path of kisses down his stomach.

When Arthur’s kisses stop, Merlin looks down, alarmed, because he doesn’t want Arthur gone. He wants more.

It’s only then that he notices Arthur is on his knees. His hands have moved from his hips towards the laces of Merlin’s breeches, expertly unfastening them.

“Oh Gods,” Merlin squeaks as he looks down at Arthur’s golden hair. Arthur is on his knees in front of Merlin. His king is on his knees before him.

Before Merlin can start overthinking it, Arthur has freed his cock from his breeches and after a few strokes of his hands he takes the tip of Merlin’s cock into his mouth, causing Merlin to moan out another “oh Gods”.

As soon as Arthur starts moving, Merlin entirely loses the ability to think. He grabs at Arthur’s hair instead, guiding him into a rhythm, his eyes tightly shut, his head resting against the door behind him, the sensation of Arthur’s mouth hot and wet on him more overwhelming than he could have thought.

He wills his knees not to buckle – the pleasure coursing through his body making it so, so difficult though to stay upright.

When Arthur pulls his mouth off of Merlin, Merlin makes an undignified sound of protest. 

He looks down to see Arthur looking up at him, a smirk around his lips. His tongue darts out to lick at the tip of Merlin’s cock, his eyes not leaving Merlin’s face. And if you ask Merlin, Arthur is looking a bit too pleased about Merlin’s reaction, about Merlin’s moans and groans and sighs.

But before Merlin can say something about Arthur’s smug expression, Arthur firmly wraps his fingers around the base of Merlin’s cock again, his other hand moving up his leg towards his bum and he takes Merlin back into his mouth.

This time Merlin watches as Arthur moves his head, watches as his cock moves in and out of Arthur’s mouth.

And maybe he shouldn’t have done that, maybe he shouldn’t have looked, because it doesn’t take long before he feels that familiar buildup in his groin. The visual of what Arthur is doing to him makes it even more enticing than just the feel of it.

Merlin moves his hand from Arthur’s hair to his cheek to convey he’s about to come, to give Arthur the time to pull back.

But he doesn’t pull back. If anything, he takes Merlin in deeper.

“Arthur,” Merlin groans. “I’m–”

Merlin’s thoughts get interrupted by Arthur humming around his cock, the vibration adding to the sensation. And when Arthur does gods-know-what with his tongue, Merlin knows he can’t hold off for long anymore.

“Arthur,” he moans, more insistently touching Arthur’s cheek again, but Arthur swats his hand away and does that thing with his tongue again and Merlin can’t hold it in any longer.

He cries out something that might resemble Arthur’s name and his hip buck forward involuntarily.

Still Arthur’s mouth is on him, his hand stroking him through the aftershocks of his orgasm, while his tongue licks at the tip again, making Merlin shudder with sensitivity.

It isn’t until Merlin becomes limp against the door behind him that Arthur stands back up. His arms wrap around Merlin’s waist and Merlin doesn’t miss the pleased smirk on his face right before Arthur’s mouth is on his again, placing soft kisses on his lips.

Merlin darts out his tongue, licking Arthur’s lips as he leans in for another kiss, the taste of his own come still lingering there.

Arthur smiles against his lips. “I think I quite enjoy not having my manservant help me get ready for bed.”

“Hmm,” Merlin hums. He agrees – he definitely agrees – but he isn’t going to admit it out loud.

“Maybe next time, we’ll actually make it to the bed.”

“Are you saying this will be a daily occurence?”

Arthur just shrugs and leans back in, distracting Merlin with more kisses.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
